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Roasted stuffed mini-peppers

These make great warm-weather appetizers. Or you can be like me, and load 20 onto a plate for dinner.

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped finely

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup uncooked rice

20 mini bell peppers, sliced down the middle and deseeded

about 1 cup arugula

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

30-40 cherry tomatoes, quartered

Salsa for dipping (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook about 4 minutes, or until they become golden and translucent. Stir in the uncooked rice, and cook for 2 more minutes, or until the rice turns golden.

Transfer the rice and onions to a pot, and cook the rice according to package directions.

In the meantime, arrange an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler, and set the broiler to low heat. Place the peppers cut side up on a baking sheet, working in batches if necessary. Load the baking sheet onto the oven rack, and let cook for about 4 minutes, or until the peppers’ edges brown. (Keep an eye on them, you don’t want them to cook too long and become soggy.)

Once the peppers are out of the oven, place 2 or 3 arugula leaves in each pepper. Mix the black beans in with the rice. Add a spoonful of rice mixture to each pepper. Top with tomatoes. Serve alongside salsa, if desired.